Tray-support.



PATENTED APR. 10, 1906.

P, L. DEMAJRTINI.

TRAY SUPPORT. APPLIUATIOK FILED new; 30.1005.

Quorum;

of a trunk with tray swung open, showing my NTED STATES PATENT 1min.

FRANK L. DEMARTINI, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TRAY-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented April 10, 1906.

Application filed October 30,1905- Serial No. 285,136.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. DEMARTINI, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Tray- Supports, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in tray-supports for trunksand it consists in the novel construction of support more fully setforth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective invention applied thereto.Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the support turned to proper position tosupport the tray. Fig. 8 is a slmilar view showing the supporting-rodsdisengaged from the trunk-walls. sectional detail on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.is a perspective of the clip or bearing for the outer end of thesupporting-rod. Fig. 6 is a perspective of a wardrobe tray swung to openposition and having its supporting-rods received by depressions in thetrunk-walls. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line 7 7 of Fig. 6, andFig. 8 is a perspective of the grooved casting for receiving the ends ofthe supporting-rods.

The object of my invention is to provide suitable means for temporarilysupporting a trunk-tray while in an open position, the 1nvention beingspecially applicable to the swinging tray hinged directly beneath thelid of a trunk, though, as presently to be seen, the device may withequal propriety be applied to any tray which when once opened would.have a tendency to close if left temporarily unsupported while in suchopen position. The tendency for a hinged tray to close after once beingswung open 18 due to the weight of the contents of such tray, the saidcontents shifting the center of gravity of the load well beyond thehinge-axis of the tray, and .thus tending to close it if leftunsupported.

The advantages of my improvement will Fig. 4 is a be better apparentfrom a detailed description of the invention, which is as follows:Referring to the drawings, B represents the body of the trunk, and L theouter lid thereof. The trunk is provided with a tray T, hingedimmediately beneath the lid, and when the lid is swung to an openposition the tray may be swung up against it. The weight of the Fig. 5"

tray contents has a tendency to force the tray to a closed position, andif left unsupportedv the tray will close, and thus become a source ofannoyance to one desiring access to the bottom of the trunk. The tray issupported by means of the following contrivance: Rotatably secured tothe tray-bottom adjacent to the edge thereof is a disk or equivalent'member 1, provided with an operating handle or wing 2, projecting beyondthe edge of the disk, the latter having pivotally secured to one of itsfaces (preferably the outer face) the inner ends of the rods 3 3, thepoints of connection with the rotatable member being diametricallyopposite to one another. By rotating the member 1. in proper diree tionthe rods are either forced apart or retracted inwardly, as is obvious.The outer ends of the rods pass through suitable tapering guide-loops 4of the clips or bearings l, secured to the tray, as shown. After openingthe tray the member 1 is given a turn in proper direction so as to bringthe points of connection of the rods with the said member insubstantially a horizontal relation, the rods being by this movementforced. outwardly, so as to cause their outer ends to overlap the upperedges of the adjacent vertical walls of the body of the trunk, the saidoverlapping per, tions thus temporarily supporting the tray- Fig. 1. Toclose the tray, the member 1 is given a turn in proper direction (seearrow, Fig. 2,) to draw the rods inwardly a suflieient distance to causetheir outer ends to come within the adjacent vertical walls of thetrunk, Fig. 3, when the tray can be readily closed. In the form shown inFig. 1 the pressure exerted 011 the rods 3 is substantially a verticalone, and the friction between their outer ends and the supporting edgesof the trunk-walls is sufficient to overcome any tendency on the part ofthe rods to slip along said. ed e but in the case of a Wardrobe-tray T,w ere from an excessive load the danger of slippin is imminent, thesupporting-walls are provided with metal castings 5, Fig. 8, in whichare formed. suitable grooves or sockets 6 for receiving the rods. Thewalls of the sockets insure against any possible slipping of the rods.

I am aware that trunk-trays have been. provided with spring-actuatedsupports, but since these operate automatically upon the opening of thetray they look the tray when in such open position. Should the personusing the trunk momentarily open the tray and forget about the automaticlocking and then suddenly close the tray, the supportingrods eitherbecome strained or bent and become thereafter a source of annoyance.IVith my improvement the tray may be opened temporarily, and unless theperson so desires he need not bring the supporting device intorequisition and may close the tray without danger of breaking or bendingthe rods, since these cannot expand to a locking position unlesspositively actuated and only when occasion for their use arises.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination with aswinging trunktray, a member rotatably mounted to the bottom of saidtrav adjacent to the rear edge thereof, rods pivotally. secured theretoat points diametrically opposite to one another and extending inopposite directions along said tray, suitable tubular bearings for thefree ends of said rods secured to the tray, the ends of the rods beingadapted to be forced outwardly and overlap the edges of the adj acenttrunk-walls for an oscillation of the rotatable member in one direction,and to be retracted inwardly for an oscillation thereof in v theopposite direction, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a swinging trunktray, a disk rotatably mounted tothe bottom of the tray adjacent to the rear edge thereof, rods pivotallysecured at their inner ends to the disk on opposite sides of the centerthereof, guide bearings or. loops for the free ends of the rods carriedby the tray, the upper edges of the vertical walls of the trunk adjacentto the outer ends of the rods being provided with sockets for thereception of said rods, the parts operating substantially as, and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK L. DEMARTINI.

WVitnesses EMIL STAREK, MARY D. I/VHITOOMB.

